nurse snored close by; and this mistress was
not an unkind, nor a stupid woman.

That evening, just when it was time for the
apprentices to go home, she made her appearance
in the workroom with a parcel in her
hand.

"'Ester Cashel," she said aloud, "I have
brought you some fine gray stuff to make you
a gown, a piece of black silk to make you a
hapron, and a yard of blue ribbon that you may
tie up your 'air as the other young women wear
it.  And as for the cost, I owe you much more
than the price of these things for hover work,
which you have cheerfully done."

The apprentices put on their bonnets in
silence and went away to digest the shock.
Hester was left sitting in the deserted workroom
to plan and cut out her new dress. And
she did it right skilfully.

"I declare that girl is quite a picture in her
new things!" said the kindhearted milliner to
her husband. "And I do wish that that fine
lady who sent her here would take a little
notice of her sometimes. She's different like
from the of her girls, and they're not kind to
her, and she don't seem to take to hany of
them. She never takes a 'oliday, and never
gets a breath of hair unless I send her to the
park with the children. She does her work
well, but it's plain she's too good for it."

"Why does she grumble about it then?"
asked the husband, a matter-of-fact person who
kept his wife's accounts. These two worthies
were at their tea when this conversation
occurred, in their neat little parlour behind the
shop.

"Grumble!" said the milliner. "Not a
word out of her 'ead. And she'd work her
fingers to the bone at a pinch. But it's plain
to see she's been born and bred a lady. And I
do wish that fine madam would come to see her
now and again. I don't like the 'ole charge
of such a one upon my shoulders."

It was characteristic of Lady Humphrey
that one day about this time she made her
appearance in our milliner's shop, being forgetful
at the moment of the very existence of Hester.
Her thoughts were very busy with strange
matters at the time; but she wanted a new
bonnet all the same.

"Sweetly pretty!" cried the milliner, taking
a step backward, after having mounted her
most stupendous chapeau on Lady
Humphrey's severe buff braids. "How sweetly
pretty to be sure! And how exceedingly
thoughtful of your ladyship to remember poor
'Ester. For I don't take this favour to
myself, your ladyship; you'll excuse me for saying
that I know something of the 'uman 'eart, and
I can see through a noble haction as plain as
if it was a pane in this glass case."

Lady Humphrey was so amazed at this digression
from ribbons and laces that she was
silent for some moments, and sat gazing rather
suspiciously at the clever little woman, who,
with her head on one side in the most innocent
attitude, was busy snipping out an objectionable
flower from the trimming of the headgear
that had been purchased.

"I can see, too, that your ladyship is
annoyed," she added, deprecatingly, "because I
have served you myself instead of sending for
'Ester. But I assure your ladyship that she
is hout on particular business of mine. I
would not have disappointed your ladyship for
the world. Had I known you was coming I
should have gone hout myself sooner than sent
her from 'ome. But about the dress, your
ladyship; plum-coloured satin I think your
ladyship said, with a tucker of point round the
bosom, and a little flounce of the own round
the 'em of the skirt. Very 'andsome indeed, it
will be, and shall 'Ester go out to fit it on?"

Lady Humphrey could think of no particular
reason why Hester should not fit on the dress.
And so the milliner had her own way.

"Very hanxious she was to see you, my
dear," she said to Hester on her return after
Lady Humphrey's departure; "and a very nice
little hout it will be for you; which you want
it, if hever a girl did."

"I'd rather not go, ma'am," said Hester,
doubtfully. "I wish you would send one of
the other young women."

"Nonsense!" cried the milliner. "After
all the arrangements I 'ave made. I sent to
Mrs. Patacake's in Knightsbridge for a sally-lun,
and you shall have a cup of tea and a
shrimp with me hearly, and a new ribbon for
your bonnet, so that you may go on your business
in the cool of the evening; for sure I am
she will keep you all night."

So Hester brightened up, and fell to trimming
her bonnet. She thought that Lady Humphrey
must have been wonderfully kind when the
milliner spoke so confidently.

That very evening about sunset a young man
on horseback came cantering up the high street
of Richmond, rode across the bridge, and took
his way through Bushy Park towards Hampton
Court. He was a very handsome young man,
with a dark face, which ought to have looked
pleasant, but his brows were knit now, and he
looked rather fierce and troubled. Whatever
were his uncomfortable reflections they were
speedily disturbed by the shouting of boys'
voices, a great clapping of hands, hissings, and
the barking of a dog. A little farther on he met
a group of ill-looking urchins, cheering in great
delight; and a little farther still, in the
distance among the trees, he espied the cause of
their amusement. He saw an ugly dog barking
and jumping, and the figure of a young
girl drawn up against a tree for protection, her
little grey cloak almost torn from her shoulders,
her bonnet hanging back upon her neck. One
hand grasping a parcel was held high above her
head, while with the other she kept beating
down the dog, which flew savagely at her arm
and her shoulder, sometimes leaping almost as
high as the parcel in her hand.

"Fetch it, good dog! fetch it!" cried the
boys, with roars of laughter.

"Oh, the satin, the satin!" the girl kept